The following legislative and state agency health care hearings have been scheduled between September 13 and October 3.
9/15/2014
Senate Committee on State Affairs
September 15, 2014 – 8:00 AM
Capitol Extension Building, Hearing Room E1.012, Austin
The Committee will take up the following Interim Charges: Examine the negative economic impact on Texas business from legal issues involving threatened and actual patent litigation by "patent assertion entities" (PAEs). Consider the effects of PAE actions on innovation and economic development in Texas, paying particular attention to threats and lawsuits involving software and technology patent claims. Make recommendations on how the State of Texas can address problems related to frivolous legal actions and unsubstantiated patent claims asserted against legitimate business enterprises in light of the relevant federal jurisdiction, laws, regulations, and court rules in patent cases. Study the emerging negative impacts of the Federal Affordable Care Act, including the use of navigators, and make recommendations to mitigate any unintended consequences including rising health insurance premiums, lack of access to healthcare, mishandling of Texans' private information by insufficiently-trained navigators, and the Act's overall effect on Texas employers and insurance consumers. Evaluate free-market alternatives to the Act, including state-led proposals to repeal, reduce or replace the Act. Closely monitor and make recommendations on the continuation of the Texas Health Insurance Pool. Study and make recommendations on increasing medical price transparency in Texas, including studying the impact of SB 1731, 80th Legislative Session. Analyze relevant reforms considered or implemented in other states, and make recommendations regarding potential changes designed to create a more open marketplace for enhanced consumer decision making in Texas. Study and make recommendations relative to the structure of Texas Mutual Insurance Company and the residual market for workers' compensation insurance in Texas. Invited testimony only. Additional Information Contact: Sen. Craig Estes, 512/463-0130
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
September 15, 2014 – 10:00 AM
2405 Robert Dedman Dr. (UT Thompson Conf. Ctr., Rm. 3.102), Austin
Institute of Health Care Quality and Efficiency Work Group Meeting (IHCQE) 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Staff Update 3. Expanded Access to Care Panel Discussion 4. Recess (Break) 5. Other topic area progress (if necessary) a. Value Based Care b. Serious and Persistent Mental Illness c. Health Literacy d. Administrative simplification 6. Public Comment 7. Review of staff action follow-up items prior to next meeting 8. Adjourn. Additional Information Contact: Jimmy Blanton, 512/380-4372
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
September 15, 2014 – 02:00 PM
Winters Building , Public Hearing Room , 701 West 51st St., Austin
Proposed Rules for the Presumptive Medicaid Program. Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will conduct a public hearing to receive comments on proposed new rules and amendments to existing rules under Title 1, Part 15, Chapter 366, concerning the implementation of changes for the Presumptive Medicaid Program. The proposed rules implement federal requirements for presumptive eligibility for Medicaid at 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §§435.1102, 435.1103, and 435.1110. Under amendments to the federal rules, hospitals now have the option to make presumptive eligibility determinations for pregnant women, children, parents and caretaker relatives, and former foster care children, regardless of whether the state chooses to provide presumptive eligibility for these groups. Currently, HHSC allows a qualified entity to make presumptive eligibility determinations for Medicaid for pregnant women only and, in accordance with Title 1, section 366.409, Medicaid for Breast an Cervical Cancer. The proposed rules allow a hospital that chooses to be a "qualified hospital" to determine eligibility for children, parents and caretaker relatives, and former foster care children (in addition to determining presumptive eligibility for pregnant women). The proposed rules also provide for full Medicaid coverage, on a presumptive eligibility basis, for children, parents and caretaker relatives, and former foster care children, and limited Medicaid coverage for pregnant women, in accordance with federal regulation. Presumptive eligibility for Medicaid for Breast and Cervical Cancer is not affected by the proposed rules. Presumptive eligibility for Medicaid is short-term. It begins the date the qualified hospital or entity determines the individual's eligibility and ends on the date HHSC makes the determination for ongoing Medicaid, see 42 CFR §435.1102(b)(2)(iv), or, if the presumptively eligible individual does not submit an application for ongoing Medicaid, on the last day of the month following the presumptive eligibility determination. The proposed rules set out the eligibility requirements for individuals to qualify for presumptive eligibility; the requirements for providers making presumptive eligibility determinations; and HHSC responsibilities for oversight of providers making presumptive eligibility determinations. In addition, to align policies and procedures, HHSC proposes amendments to existing rules for qualified entities making presumptive eligibility determinations for pregnant women The proposed amendments and new rules will be published in the September 5, 2014, issue of the Texas Register. At the time of posting this notice, the Texas Register pagination was not available. Written Comments. Written comments on the proposed amendments to the rule may be submitted to Claire Middleton, Program Specialist, Office of Social Services, HHSC, at mail code 2115, 909 West 45th St., Austin, TX 78751; by fax to 512-206-5141; or by email to Claire.Middleton@hhsc.state.tx.us within 30 days of publication of this proposal in the Texas Register.
9/16/2014
Senate Committee on State Affairs
September 16, 2014 – 8:00 AM
Capitol Extension Building, Hearing Room E1.012, Austin
The Committee will take up the following Interim Charges: Examine possible measures to protect the personal privacy of Texas residents from governmental and commercial surveillance, including: (1) any necessary limits on warrantless search and seizure of data from electronic devices and wireless providers, including digital content and geolocational data; (2) any necessary protections against non-consented video and audio recordings collected by private handheld and wearable mobile devices and other private surveillance; and (3) any necessary limits on warrantless monitoring of the physical location of individuals through the use of biometrics, RFID chips, facial recognition, or other technologies. Examine related measures proposed or passed in other states. Review the types and scope of personal data collected by governmental and commercial entities and consider methods to minimize the government's collection of data on its citizens. The study should include: (1) whether sufficient protections exist for DNA samples and information, including whether there should be a prohibition on the creation of DNA databases, except for felons and sex offenders; (2) methods to protect the privacy of gun owners from aggregated purchasing pattern tracking; (3) mechanisms to ensure that private health care information is properly protected; and (4) ways to ensure that previously anonymous data is not improperly re-identified and marketed. Examine related measures proposed or passed in other states. Examine possible reforms designed to increase citizens' ability to know what data is being collected about them by governmental and commercial entities and with whom that data is being shared, including an analysis of consumer informed consent. Examine related measures proposed or passed in other states. Study the online legislative resources available to the public from Texas Senate Committee websites and compare resources to those provided by other state legislative committees in Texas and other states. Determine how Texas Senate websites can be improved to provide a more interactive and transparent government. Invited testimony only. Additional Information Contact: Sen. Craig Estes, 512/463-0130
House Select Committee on Health Care Education & Training
September 16, 2014 – 10:00 AM
Texas Medical Center, Coleman College for Health Sciences Auditorium, 1900 Pressler Street, Houston
The committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on the mental health care workforce in Texas. Contact: Bryan W. Law 512-463-0718
Department of State Health Services
September 16, 2014 – 01:00 PM
Austin State Hospital Campus, West Auditorium, Building 582, 4110 Guadalupe, Austin
Texas Worksite Wellness Advisory Board The Board will meet to discuss and possibly act on the following agenda: Call to Order Roll Call/Introductions Discussion 1. Annual Wellness Conference planning 2. Development of Worksite Wellness Advisory Board (WWAB) recommendations to Department of State Health Services (DSHS) 3. Business Enterprise of Texas project 4. Updates on wellness activities from the Employees Retirement System 5. Updates on wellness activities from the Department of State Health Services Public Comments Acceptance of Items for Discussion/Approval at Future Meetings Adjourn. Additional Information Contact: Rocky Payne, 512/776-2780
9/18/2014
Correctional Managed Health Care Committee
September 18, 2014 – 10:00 AM
200 River Pointe Dr., Suite 200, Training Room, Conroe
Correctional Managed Health Care Committee I.Call to Order II.Recognitions and Introductions III.Consent Items 1.Approval of Excused Absences 2.Approval of CMHCC Meeting Minutes, June 24, 2014 3.TDCJ Health Services Monitoring Reports Operational Review Summary Data Grievance and Patient Liaison Statistics Preventive Medicine Statistics Utilization Review Monitoring Capital Assets Monitoring Accreditation Activity Summary Active Biomedical Research Project Listing Administrative Segregation Mental Health Monitoring 4.University Medical Directors Reports The University of Texas Medical Branch Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 5.Summary of CMHCC Joint Committee / Work Group Activities IV.Update on Financial Reports V.Summary of Critical Correctional Health Care Personnel Vacancies 1.Texas Department of Criminal Justice 2.Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 3.The University of Texas Medical Branch VI.Medical Directors Updates 1.Texas Department of Criminal Justice Health Services Division FY 2014 Third Quarter Report 2.Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 3.The University of Texas Medical Branch VII.CMHCC Joint Mental Health Working Group Update Joseph Penn, MD, CCHP, FAPA, Director Mental Health Services, UTMB Correctional Managed Care and Chair, CMHCC Joint Mental Health Working Group VIII.Public Comments IX. Adjourn. Additional Information Contact: Marsha Brumley, 936/437-3542
Department of State Health Services
September 18, 2014 – 01:00 PM
Department of State Health Services, Tower Building, Room T-407, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin
Institutional Review Board #1 (Acting as Scientific Review Panel) The Board will meet to discuss and possibly act on the following agenda: A. Call To Order B. Submission(s) for Review Hospital Discharge Data Requests 14-036 Forecasting Medical Event Pathways of Hospital Procedures: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Analysis of Inpatient and Outpatient Hospital Discharge Data 14-037 Addressing Serious and Persistent Mental Illness: Uncompensated Hospital Utilization, Descriptive analysis, and Policy Options for Texas 14-038 Potentially Preventable Readmission and Complication Benchmark Study C. Adjournment. Additional Information Contact: beverly.grace@dshs.state.tx.us
9/19/2014
Department of State Health Services
September 19, 2014 – 08:00 AM
Austin-Health & Human Services Commission, MHMR Center Conference Room 164, 909 West 45th Street, Austin
Topic Research Committee of the Texas Radiation Advisory Board Members: Ian Hamilton, Ph.D., Chair; Robert Emery, Vice Chair; Amy Clark; John Hageman, M.S., C.H.P.; Nora Janjan, M.D. The Texas Radiation Advisory Board's Topic Research Committee will convene as posted to consider, discuss and take formal action, as necessary, on the following agenda items: 1. Call to Order 2. Introduction of guests 3. Review and adoption of the minutes of the May 23, 2014 meeting 4. Old Business A. Update on rulemaking priorities, Monica Perez, DSHS B. Licensing of Certified Diagnostic Physicists by the American Board of Radiology C Simulcasting of the TRAB meetings 5. New Business: Present and discuss topics that need further research for action by the TRAB 6. Public Comments 7. Formulate recommendations on any agenda items to be considered by the full Board 8. Adjourn Members of the Topic Research Committee invite all non-Committee members of TRAB to attend and listen to the discussion. Additional Information Contact: ihamilton@swmail.sw.org
Department of State Health Services
September 19, 2014 – 09:00 AM
Austin-Health & Human Services Commission, MHMR Center Conference Room 240, 909 West 45th Street, Austin
Medical Committee of the Texas Radiation Advisory Board Members: Darlene Metter, M.D., Chair; Mark Silberman, M.D., Vice Chair; Robert Emery; Nora Janjan, M.D.; Ian Hamilton, Ph.D.; Melanie Marshall, D.D.S.; Dave Nichols, M.D.; Bill Campbell; Mark Pittman; John Johnson, D.V.M. The Texas Radiation Advisory Board's Medical Committee will convene as posted to consider, discuss and take formal action, as necessary, on the following agenda items: 1.Call to Order 2.Introduction of guests 3.Review and adoption of the minutes of the May 23, 2014 meeting 4.Old Business A. Review of draft Advisory on the National Registry for Radiation Exposure during Healthcare Procedures (Janjan/Metter) B. Update on sunset of LMP and MRT boards in Texas (Hamilton) C. Updates on ratio of use of dental practice use of cone beam CT vs. panorex DSHS 5. New Business A. TRAB Position Statement on the NRC's proposed changes to the radiation safety regulations, 10 CFR part 20 B. NRC proposed amendments to 10 CFR Part 35 6. Public Comments 7. Formulate recommendations on any agenda items to be considered by the full Board 8. Adjourn Members of the Medical Committee invite all non-Committee members of TRAB to attend and listen to the discussion. Additional Information Contact: metter@uthscsa.edu
Department of State Health Services
September 19, 2014 – 09:00 AM
Austin-Health & Human Services Commission, MHMR Center Conference Room 164, 909 West 45th Street
Industrial, Nuclear Power, Uranium and Waste Committee of the Texas Radiation Advisory Board Members: Kevin Raabe, Chair; Mitch Lucas, Vice Chair; Amy Clark; John Hageman, M.S., C.H.P.; Ian Hamilton, Ph.D.; Stephen Harris; Ken Krieger; Judith M Raab; Dashan Sachde The Texas Radiation Advisory Board's Industrial, Nuclear Power, Uranium and Waste Committee will convene as posted to consider, discuss and take formal action, as necessary, on the following agenda items: 1.Call to Order 2.Introduction of guests 3.Consideration and approval of the minutes of the May 23, 2014 meeting 4. Old Business A. Update on the Texas Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility: C. McGuire, TCEQ B. Discussion of draft Position Statement on Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel/High Level Waste Texas 5. New Business A. TRAB Position Statement on the NRC's proposed changes to the radiation safety regulations, 10 CFR part 20 B. Position Statement on Disposal of Low Level Radioactive Waste (Sealed Sources): Ken Krieger 6. Public Comments 7. Formulate recommendations on any agenda items to be considered by the other Committees or the full Board 8. Adjourn Members of the Industrial, Nuclear Power, Uranium and Waste Committee invite all non-Committee members of TRAB to attend and listen to the discussion. Additional Information Contact: Kevin.Raabe@RioGrandeResources.com
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
September 19, 2014 – 10:00 AM
4900 N. Lamar Blvd., HHSC, Brown-Heatley, Room 4501, Austin
Advisory Committee on Qualifications for Health Care Translators and Interpreters 1. Call to order. 2. Approval of minutes for July 18, 2014 meeting. (vote required*) 3. Report on Administrative Action items from last meeting. 4. Discussion and decision on amending committee Operational Procedures to allow members to serve a third term (vote required*). 5. Discussion on developing a registry for health care interpreters. 6. Discussion on disseminating information on the committee recommendations. 7. Public comment.* 8. Discuss goals and work plan of the committee for 2014 9. Discuss and plan the meeting schedule for 2015. 10. Adjourn. *Public comment will be taken following each item, after a staff presentation, and/or before a vote on an action item. Additional Information Contact: Paula Traffas, 512/438-8209
Department of State Health Services
September 19, 2014 – 10:30 AM
Austin-Health & Human Services Commission, MHMR Center Conference Room 164, 909 West 45th Street, Austin
Texas Radiation Advisory Board The board will convene as posted to consider, discuss and take formal action, as necessary, on the following agenda items, as time allows: 1. Call to order 2. Introduction of guests 3. Review and adoption of the minutes of the May 23, 2014 meeting 4. Election of Officers, Mark Pittman, Chair of the Nominating Committee 5. Committee Reports and Recommendations A. Industrial, Nuclear Power, Uranium and Waste Committee B. Medical Committee C. Topic Research Committee 6. Program Reports A. Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) B. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) C. Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) D. Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission (TLLRWDCC) E. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission – Roger Mulder, State Liaison Officer 7. Old Business A. Update on the success of Texas Radiation Regulatory Conference, in Austin, TX, September 11 and 12, 2014, presented by the DSHS in coordination with the TCEQ, the RRC and the South Texas Chapter of the Health Physics Society, host of the conference – DSHS, Richard Ratliff B. The State Agencies' written reports to the TRAB have been added to the TRAB's website C. Updates on the WIPP Facility Waste Issues and its Waste Stored at WCS – DSHS, Mike Rutherford 8. New Business A. Discuss and decide on action items presented by the Industrial, Nuclear Power, Uranium and Waste Committee B. Discuss and decide on action items presented by the Medical Committee C. Discuss and decide on action items presented by the Topic Research Committee 9. Public Comments 10. Discussion of Future Meeting Topics 11. Adjourn. Additional Information Contact: John Hageman, jph@swri.org
9/24/2014
Senate Committee on Finance
September 24, 2014 – 10:00 AM
Capitol Extension Building, Hearing Room E1.036, Austin
The Senate Finance Committee will hear invited testimony from the Legislative Budget Board (LBB). The LBB will give presentations about major cost drivers for the state budget. The topics will include: Public Education, Higher Education, Medicaid, Mental Health, Transportation, Water, Employee Retirement Systems, Teacher Retirement System. Invited testimony only. Contact: Stephanie Hoover 512-463-0370
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
September 24, 2014 – 10:00 AM
4900 N Lamar Blvd. (HHSC, Brown-Heatly, Public Hearing Rm), Austin
Telemedicine and Telehealth Advisory Committee 1. Call to Order: Sam Tessen, Chair. 2. Review and Approval of the meeting minutes from March 26, 2014: Sam Tessen. 3. Reminder of Goal and Purpose of the committee: Sam Tessen. 4. Presentation and Discussion about the utilization of telemedicine, telehealth and telemonitoring in Medicaid: Sarah Mills, Senior Policy Analyst. 5. Update regarding Federal Legislation (H.R. 3077 Telemed Act of 2013 and S. 2662 Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2014) for telemedicine: Sam Tessen. 6. Current Status of telemedicine efforts as it relates to medical services: Debbie Voyles and Alex Vo, Ph.D. 7. Sub-committee report from the Status of Telemedicine, Telehealth and Telemonitoring Sub-committee to include: discussion around developing a computer based training module, adding presenter fees for the Telemedicine and Telehealth benefits, and removing the requirement for a face to face meeting prior to a telehealth service: Rachel Hammon. 8. Legislative issues for consideration for the 84th Texas Legislative Session. 9. Additional Items: Sam Tessen. 10. Discussion on Next Meeting and Agenda items. 11. Public Comment. 12. Adjourn. Additional Information Contact: Sarah Mills, 512/462-627
9/26/2014
Department of State Health Services
September 26, 2014 – 10:00 AM
Department of State Health Services, Conference Room M-618, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin
Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker Training and Certification Advisory Committee The Committee will meet to discuss and possibly act on the following agenda: Welcome and introductions Approval of minutes Public comment Implementation and Feasibility Plans of CHW and Training Program Surveys Potential Changes in the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Life Course Perspectives Conference Planning, June 22-24, 2015, Houston, Texas Advisory Committee Officers CHW Spotlight: Isabel Rios, Promotora Break Program Update Committee Business: Review and recommend to DSHS applications for certification of training institutions Committee Member Updates New business for consideration at next meeting Adjourn. Additional Information Contact: Beatrice Smith, 512/776-2208
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